RT4WD super sleeper build
darktrickster
Wagonist
Hey guys. Been a while since I've posted anything about what I've been up to, but now I have two wagons that I'm building. Thought I would start a build thread for number two. Here goes.
It's an 89 RT4WD in really good shape (compared to my other one anyway). It belonged to a buddy of mine that I found when he was trying to sell it the first time. I wasn't willing to pay the $1,500 he wanted (it had a blown headgasket and I didn't yet know how much drivetrain components were worth) so I offered to fix it for him. He took me up on my offer and a short time later it started burning oil really bad (apparently a problem it already had that he forgot to mention to me during the head gasket job.) So I talked him into having me swap a d16z6 into it. The swap went really well, but a few months later he decided he was done with wagons and offered me 1000$ and his wagon in exchange for a toyota 4runner I had payed 1000$ for. I couldn't say no.
Let's get some before pics up.
This was when I had way too many cars and was trying to decide between this wagon and a 97 prelude. The wagon finally won and I took the for sale sign out of it.
I cleaned it up, installed my killer stereo in it and tossed some rims and new tires on it. (buddy wanted stock looking hub caps)
anyway, some pics of how it looks now. Planning on lowering it soon to make those rims fit a little better.
"Hey when you going to bring your truck up here to get that washer?"
I'll get pics of the interior soon, It's in really good shape, but needs a deep cleaning for sure. Also have some goodies in it. Like a center console, underseat tray, and the dash goes all the way through to the E-brake and center consol. (has the cigarette lighter and little ash tray on it)
It's an 89 RT4WD in really good shape (compared to my other one anyway). It belonged to a buddy of mine that I found when he was trying to sell it the first time. I wasn't willing to pay the $1,500 he wanted (it had a blown headgasket and I didn't yet know how much drivetrain components were worth) so I offered to fix it for him. He took me up on my offer and a short time later it started burning oil really bad (apparently a problem it already had that he forgot to mention to me during the head gasket job.) So I talked him into having me swap a d16z6 into it. The swap went really well, but a few months later he decided he was done with wagons and offered me 1000$ and his wagon in exchange for a toyota 4runner I had payed 1000$ for. I couldn't say no.
Let's get some before pics up.
This was when I had way too many cars and was trying to decide between this wagon and a 97 prelude. The wagon finally won and I took the for sale sign out of it.
I cleaned it up, installed my killer stereo in it and tossed some rims and new tires on it. (buddy wanted stock looking hub caps)
anyway, some pics of how it looks now. Planning on lowering it soon to make those rims fit a little better.
"Hey when you going to bring your truck up here to get that washer?"
I'll get pics of the interior soon, It's in really good shape, but needs a deep cleaning for sure. Also have some goodies in it. Like a center console, underseat tray, and the dash goes all the way through to the E-brake and center consol. (has the cigarette lighter and little ash tray on it)
Comments
Here you can see the other build in the background.
Wish I had more, sorry guys.
Feel free to gimme food for thought. If you can help out or just have some advice I'm all ears. This should really start picking up the beginning of next year, but hopefully I'll get the suspension all taken care of sooner.
Making a template:
New floor for the back:
The first attempt at speaker pods:
And the new plan when we gave up on those:
Going to be raising that bottom piece about 2 inches so that the sub box can fit underneath it and wrapping everything in black and red. When I install it I'll be restoring the plastic it sits up against and painting it black as well as installing new black carpet on the floor. We made the speaker "pods" large so that I could mount the amp, cap, and possibly a carputer in the extra space and keep the trunk clean and usable ( though, a little smaller).
Here's the end result of our work today:
That would be interesting, but not what I had in mind. Going to wrap the sides with black imitation leather and red vinyl with a black mesh overlay. The bottom and backs of the seats will be new black automotive carpet. Going to pull out the rear plastics and fix any cracks and holes, sand them down and paint them black. The upper plastics (lighter gray ones) are going to get hydrodipped with a carbon fiber pattern. Thinking about biting the bullet and getting the seats re-upholstered with black leather and red stitching. Doing research right now into whether or not I can put my 91 CRX black dash in (any input is appreciated). Also thinking about doing the black pearl mix from plastidip on it after I do all that. Though I'll wait to do anything on the outside till I run down the track a couple of times with the new motor and suspension. Is there such thing as a stock black interior for these wagons?
Thanks guys! Going out of town for a week and a half so it'll be 2 weeks before there is any more progress, but hoping to get the speaker boxes built and get it wrapped the next time me and my buddy work on it.
cant wait to see it finished !